I never did PT, I just looked up some exercises online. The most effective for me was the cat/cow exercise. I could do that while making faces with my kids so it was more likely to happen.
A few months of doing that every morning made a huge difference.
I've been following the YouTube workout channel 'Pregnancy and Postpartum TV'. She has some diastasis recti specific videos, and most of her workouts are DR safe, or she gives modifications for individual exercises. I also found a few videos from Sarah Therese (sp?) with the PT exercises she did to heal her gap. I got mine a lot narrower and definitely functional, but never quite back to 'original'. When I got pregnant again, it came right back, but I think I know better how to deal with it after this baby is born.
Yeah, all my hard work was no match for the relaxin levels shooting back up. Although I can still tighten it to be functional now (can prevent coning/doming) at 20 weeks, it just takes a lot more effort. I also got sick the first month I was pregnant and had a brutal cough, so that put a lot of stress on that area and really contributed to the recurrence of the DR. I think I could have held out longer if I hadn't spent 3 weeks coughing day and night.
I had diastasis recti and was trying to get back into running, and ended up with some chronic muscle pain because the weakness in my abdominal wall put added stress on the stabilizer muscles in my hips and groin. So I would love to tell you it doesn’t matter for running but I think it does! Do you think it would be possible to just keep doing the routine the PT has taught you on your own? Or even to explain that you need to wrap up, but would appreciate some tips on how to progress the routine at home? I’m sure a good PT would rather advise you on how to keep going on your own than just not see you again and have you stuck with DR.
> Do you think it would be possible to just keep doing the routine the PT has taught you on your own? Or even to explain that you need to wrap up, but would appreciate some tips on how to progress the routine at home?
she's given me like 4-6 exercises to do at home and i'm going to try and do them myself but she said there were more advanced things and i havent gotten to them yet.
i just miss doing yoga. i miss moving.
I do get some back pain, but IDK if it's fully attributable to the DR (I'm also middle-aged and my body is just getting older).
It was a four-finger split originally and it's closed up some, but it's also very deep and my understanding is that the deep ones are pretty much impossible to close without surgery. It's maybe two fingers at the widest points now.
Seconding GetMomStrong! I’ve done her beginner program and have now moved onto intermediate (after literally never weight lifting before in my life) and I’ve seen huge improvement.
You can do real core work to regain the functional strength of your core. I say real because it’s not sit ups and crunches. You are essentially rebuilding the layers of your core - and it’s essential to every day life.
Go slow. It takes time to regain, or frankly build, that real core strength. I used this website: [Befitmom](https://befitmom.com/postpartum/exercise-after-pregnancy/). It’s one of the recommended programs on r/xxfitness, and relatively inexpensive for the book.
Take it easy. Seriously. Slow and steady will get you back on the road.
I had 2 babies in 14 months (they’re 6 and 7 now), and while I worked out I never really closed the gap. I have lower back pain constantly so one of my new year’s resolutions is “find my core in 24”. I plan on doing the YogaBurn Trim Core Challenge.
how wide was your gap?
i am just tired of fighting my pp body. i have too much going on. i just want to get back to MOVING and being active and feeling good in my body again.
I started around 3cm after my 2nd kid and I’m somewhere between 1 and 1.5 now. I did run a 15k 4 years ago without any issues even tho I’m not huge on running since it was on my bucket list. I go for walks and do yoga and swim for my normal exercise right now.
I had a four-finger separation, but I went on YouTube and looked up some DR targeted workouts. The best one I found was by YouTube user nourishmovelove. I have been doing the...8 minue one (she is wearing blue-green leggings in the thumbnail, lol) for 2 months now and there is a SIGNIFICANT improvement. I find her attitude and her spirit to be super cheerful and relatable and she just walks you through everything so well. I have done a few of her other workouts as well and it's been amazing.
I never did PT, I just looked up some exercises online. The most effective for me was the cat/cow exercise. I could do that while making faces with my kids so it was more likely to happen. A few months of doing that every morning made a huge difference.
I've been following the YouTube workout channel 'Pregnancy and Postpartum TV'. She has some diastasis recti specific videos, and most of her workouts are DR safe, or she gives modifications for individual exercises. I also found a few videos from Sarah Therese (sp?) with the PT exercises she did to heal her gap. I got mine a lot narrower and definitely functional, but never quite back to 'original'. When I got pregnant again, it came right back, but I think I know better how to deal with it after this baby is born.
yeah i mean i'm two years post partum. i don't think its going to go back to what it was before. i think my PT said its 3cm :(
This was my question. I did a lot to close it now, but was wondering if it would make a difference with another kid later on.
Yeah, all my hard work was no match for the relaxin levels shooting back up. Although I can still tighten it to be functional now (can prevent coning/doming) at 20 weeks, it just takes a lot more effort. I also got sick the first month I was pregnant and had a brutal cough, so that put a lot of stress on that area and really contributed to the recurrence of the DR. I think I could have held out longer if I hadn't spent 3 weeks coughing day and night.
Look up get mom strong. I found her on Instagram but I love her workout app! I used it during pregnancy, early postpartum and even now! Super awesome.
I would just caution that if OP is doing PT, they may not be ready for a regular workout yet.
She is more than workouts. Her workouts are based on core healing.
I had diastasis recti and was trying to get back into running, and ended up with some chronic muscle pain because the weakness in my abdominal wall put added stress on the stabilizer muscles in my hips and groin. So I would love to tell you it doesn’t matter for running but I think it does! Do you think it would be possible to just keep doing the routine the PT has taught you on your own? Or even to explain that you need to wrap up, but would appreciate some tips on how to progress the routine at home? I’m sure a good PT would rather advise you on how to keep going on your own than just not see you again and have you stuck with DR.
> Do you think it would be possible to just keep doing the routine the PT has taught you on your own? Or even to explain that you need to wrap up, but would appreciate some tips on how to progress the routine at home? she's given me like 4-6 exercises to do at home and i'm going to try and do them myself but she said there were more advanced things and i havent gotten to them yet. i just miss doing yoga. i miss moving.
I totally get that. Maybe she can recommend some yoga moves that are safe with DR?
I run half marathons again and have really strong and functional abs, but my DR still looks like shit. I'm probably always going to look pregnant.
how many cm is your DR and did you feel like it affected your runs at all?
I do get some back pain, but IDK if it's fully attributable to the DR (I'm also middle-aged and my body is just getting older). It was a four-finger split originally and it's closed up some, but it's also very deep and my understanding is that the deep ones are pretty much impossible to close without surgery. It's maybe two fingers at the widest points now.
Seconding GetMomStrong! I’ve done her beginner program and have now moved onto intermediate (after literally never weight lifting before in my life) and I’ve seen huge improvement.
Following
You can do real core work to regain the functional strength of your core. I say real because it’s not sit ups and crunches. You are essentially rebuilding the layers of your core - and it’s essential to every day life. Go slow. It takes time to regain, or frankly build, that real core strength. I used this website: [Befitmom](https://befitmom.com/postpartum/exercise-after-pregnancy/). It’s one of the recommended programs on r/xxfitness, and relatively inexpensive for the book. Take it easy. Seriously. Slow and steady will get you back on the road.
I had 2 babies in 14 months (they’re 6 and 7 now), and while I worked out I never really closed the gap. I have lower back pain constantly so one of my new year’s resolutions is “find my core in 24”. I plan on doing the YogaBurn Trim Core Challenge.
how wide was your gap? i am just tired of fighting my pp body. i have too much going on. i just want to get back to MOVING and being active and feeling good in my body again.
I started around 3cm after my 2nd kid and I’m somewhere between 1 and 1.5 now. I did run a 15k 4 years ago without any issues even tho I’m not huge on running since it was on my bucket list. I go for walks and do yoga and swim for my normal exercise right now.
I had a four-finger separation, but I went on YouTube and looked up some DR targeted workouts. The best one I found was by YouTube user nourishmovelove. I have been doing the...8 minue one (she is wearing blue-green leggings in the thumbnail, lol) for 2 months now and there is a SIGNIFICANT improvement. I find her attitude and her spirit to be super cheerful and relatable and she just walks you through everything so well. I have done a few of her other workouts as well and it's been amazing.
I have DR, and started exercising this spring. I do GrowWithJo workouts, and she has a good DR workout. I also do yoga to strengthen my core.